A Light Misunderstanding
by Rainha of Pandemonium
Summary: Terra, a lowly commoner, is taken in by the evil Emperor Mateus to become his servant and perhaps much more.


**A.N. There is a slight lemon in this short story. Nothing too severe, but I'd still consider this more M than T. So enjoy!**

**A Light Misunderstanding**

Emperor Mateus sat on his throne. His head propped up on his fist while his leg crossed over his knee watching the beautiful creature standing in his balcony. She gazed out happily over the cursed land of Palemecia cradling the swell on her belly which was steadily becoming more evident beneath her black, form-fitting gown. Her blue eyes found the Emperor, and she smiled at him.

The cruel tyrant had found the young woman several months ago, a poor commoner scavenging for food outside the castle. Normally he would have destroyed such pathetic trash sneaking around his home, but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to do anything other than stare at the helpless girl.

Even though she was dressed in rags and absolutely filthy, something unseen shone within her like unsurpassed beauty.

Her crystal eyes locked with his in fear when she discovered his presence. She looked as frightened as a doe that had spotted a hunter, and knowing more than fearing the imminent end.

The desperate girl knew of the Emperor and had witnessed his cruelty, so she already knew attempting to flee would be a grave mistake.

She shakily bowed herself as low to the ground looking very worm-like to the Emperor with her face buried in the dust.

The Emperor, returning to his senses, cocked his head to the side and looked down on her with purple-lined eyes. The sadistic part of him revel ling in her terror.

"You are braver than you look to come here? Do you not know where you stand?" Mateus questioned sauntering closer to her groveling form.

"P-please your majesty….please forgive me. I was just so hungry and I thought I might find something around here…," the girl began. Her nose still in the dirt.

"Right yourself, girl, I cannot hear you," the Emperor snapped impatiently as the girl sat up on her knees.

"Much better…you were saying?" The corrupt king continued as the young woman looked pleadingly up at him and repeated her excuse. Mateus restrained himself from smiling at her helplessness. It was almost cute to the evil man. Like a lost mutt begging for scraps, though part of him could sense something more within the girl. A light. Something the evil king was drawn to like a moth to flame. It made him want to know more, and thus he came to a decision.

"What is your name, commoner?" Mateus questioned.

"Terra…your highness," Terra replied meekly as the tyrant half-smiled at her.

"What a beautiful name," he commented his clear eyes never leaving hers for a moment as a slight pause fell between them.

"I am willing to forgive your trespass in exchange for your services," Mateus stated as a trace of fear and rapture shown in Terra's innocent blue eyes. She would've never imagined such a cruel lord would be her savior.

"Fear and obey me, and you'll never go hungry again. Do you accept, Terra?" the Emperor questioned as a smile took over her face, and she nodded her head rapidly.

"Yes…master," Terra responded almost liking the new title that rolled off her tongue. It held the promise of a better life.

"Good. Follow me," Mateus ordered walking elegantly back towards the entrance to the large palace with Terra close behind. Even in her happiness she felt a twinge of fear following the Emperor into his domain. It felt like chasing a hare into a pit full of vipers.

When they entered, the eyes of the Imperial Court fell on them especially to the girl in rags. What was their ruthless leader doing with such trash? Mateus ignored them and summoned a couple of servants with a lazy movement of his hand.

"Clean her up and feed her," he ordered as they immediately bowed and got to there task.

After she was dressed and fed, Terra was treated almost like a princess by the Emperor or at least princess of the slaves. He kept her separate from the other servants, and was given privileges and luxuries others of the same stature were denied. No doubt they all noticed and had growing suspicions of their heartless emperor that ruled Palemecia with an iron fist.

She had also been given her own private quarters close to Mateus' which was highly suspicious, and every time they encountered one another their eyes met in such a way that caused brows to raise.

The first night he had taken her was just a few weeks after her arrival. His strange lust for her had finally taken him to temptation's edge. That night he had ordered her to his chambers under the guise of some other intention, and forced himself on her. She had cried, screamed, kicked, and pleaded, but he withheld no desire or impulse.

When he had finished with her he had planned to order her back to her own chambers, but he couldn't even bring himself to utter the words when he noticed her face shining with streaks of fresh tears. His eyes drifted to the crimson stains on her thighs as well as to the marred bed sheets beneath them, and then to the bruises on her wrists where he had held her down.

A dreadful heavy feeling began to weigh in his heart after her sobs had stilled. A feeling he couldn't recognize. What was it? Shame? Sorrow? Regret?

His eyes widened considerably. Was he, Emperor of Palemecia and conqueror of nations, ashamed of himself? He couldn't understand why? He had done this sort of thing countless times to his own concubines, and never felt a thing. Neither love nor pity. He was the Emperor! Whatever he wanted he got, and he never felt regret or remorse for the people he stepped on to obtain it. So why then? Why would it pain him now to rape a lowly slave?

He stared blankly at her trembling form bare and used as thoughts continued to swirl in his mind. He was utterly mortified by his own emotions. If he had any sense at all, he would kill her now and end this pointless predicament, but his limbs refused to put the plan into motion. All he could do was stare at the broken doll before words finally formed in his throat.

"Get out," he ordered suddenly as newly formed anger bled in his voice like an animalistic growl. What was this girl doing to him? He hadn't felt such dreadful emotions since he was a child and forced to take his first life. The first of many which eventually hardened him into the corrupt and evil emperor he is today.

She looked at him fearfully petrified against the sheets, and perplexed at his sudden mood change. He had used her like a toy, and now he was angry with her?

"I said OUT!" he screamed seething at her unmoving form before grabbing her arm and throwing her off the large bed to the floor. She scrambled to her feet clutching her torn discarded clothing to her body while running to the door. She looked back at him once more before disappearing from sight. Her blue eyes full of fear, sadness, and confusion at the Emperor's reaction.

After she was gone, he sat silent on his bed utterly disgusted with himself.

The days that followed were completely distant as a master/servant relationship should be. He would still glance at her now and again, and she would keep her eyes down and follow his every command with a simple "yes master".

His dark purple lips twitched into a frown as he watched her. She appeared to be a simple, mindless, hollow husk of her former self just like every other slave and servant in his Empire. Normally, he would have it no other way, but not her. Not Terra. When he first brought her here, she was actually happy to serve him. She had viewed him as her rescuer, a hero. No one had ever seen him like that. The only reason he was respected and obeyed by others was because they feared his power.

That night he donned a long black and white striped robe with underlying purple that he normally used for sleeping and left his room. The passageways were dark and shadowy with the torches unlit as he moved on silent bare feet towards Terra's room.

He had thought of summoning her to his own quarters, but with the memory of what happened last time still haunting the girl he decided against it. She would most likely try and flee then he would have to kill her to save face and respect as the cruel emperor he's always been.

He contemplated knocking but decided he didn't need to. He strolled into her room before noticing a lantern was still lit near her bed, and a bare silhouette next to it. Her skin gleamed in the warm light and her hair hung wet. She had apparently just bathed.

He quickly averted his eyes and turned to the side so all that faced her was his profile. He had expected her to already be asleep. She covered herself with a thin blanket and quickly stood up bowing herself to him.

"F-forgive me…master…I didn't know you were…I mean I wasn't expecting you to visit me so late," she stated hastily in apology. A silence fell between them as time seemed to freeze.

"I…apologize for what I did…for hurting you," Mateus stated suddenly closing his eyes. His arrogance and pride making his tone extremely strangled as if it were highly against his nature to speak such words.

She stared at him bewildered and speechless.

"W-what?" she questioned timidly taking a couple of steps near his frozen form.

"I'm sorry for hurting you. I forced you to…sleep with me. I shouldn't have done that. I defiled your honor…as well as my own," the usually shameless emperor said again having trouble believing his own words after all the sins he had committed throughout his life. Though he knew the words were true…for her they would be.

"Master…please come," Terra requested meekly motioning for him to stand next to her. He hesitated for a moment before moving to do just that.

She suddenly reached her arms up to the tall man, and gently coaxed him to sit on the bed. Mateus stared at her puzzled as she allowed the blanket to fall to her ankles and moved to straddle his lap.

She pressed her lips to his and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders before he suddenly pushed her back.

"Why are you forgiving me? What I did was…inexcusable…I forced you," he questioned as she kissed his jaw line.

"You didn't force me," she admitted softly gently cradling his cheek with her hand. His clear eyes colored with confusion remembering her tear-stained face and trembling body.

"Why were you crying, then? Why did you fight me?" Mateus questioned as a small smile formed on her rose petal lips accompanied by a soft giggle.

"Do you not know?" she questioned her eyes shining in the night along with her beautiful smile.

"What are you talking about?" the oppressor questioned staring intently into her face.

"You are the only man I've ever been with. You surprised me and I struggled…I thought someone like you would never want me, and it hurt losing my innocence that's why I cried, but I wanted you. I've always wanted you…ever since you saved me," she whispered looking down as a single glistening tear rolled down her cheek.

"When you yelled at me, I thought I had displeased you. It made me sad…I-I mean I've always known I wasn't good enough …especially for you…I just thought…I could…," she rambled before a hand slipped through her blonde hair and pressed her lips to their owner's.

"You have never displeased me," he breathed breaking the kiss while holding her face close to his before reclaiming her lips. Her hands gently pushed Mateus' robe from his pale, muscled shoulders as they continued to dominate each others' mouths.

He suddenly broke the kiss once again and pressed her down flat against the mattress completely shedding his clothes. She reached her hands up caressing his bare chest and arms.

"And I will prove to you that you are good enough…I'll will prove that to everyone," he spoke pulling her gown up and laying himself between her thighs.

"How? I am just a slave," Terra questioned before a cry broke passed her lips when their bodies joined. Mateus licked the cotton-like skin between her heaving breasts before starting to move gently inside of her.

"I will make you…my queen. I do not care…what the others say…they would not dare stand against me," the Emperor breathed pushing slightly harder into her.

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck in a tight embrace while recapturing his purple-stained lips in hers.

They had stayed together all night in her chambers, and the next morning the Emperor made his unchallenged announcement to make a slave his wife and Queen of Palemecia. No one spoke against his word for they all feared death.

The evil emperor of Palemecia had finally found a light for his black heart, a slave. A slave that had found a savior and a home.

_**End…**_


End file.
